[Serious sepsis treatment in intensive care departments in the Czech Republic -  EPOSS Project pilot results]. / Lécba tezké sepse na pracovistích intenzivní péce v Ceské republice -  pilotní výsledky projektu EPOSS.

INTRODUCTION: Severe sepsis is still associated with significant morbidity and mortality, which is however different, as well as its management, depending on the region. What is the situation in the Czech Republic and what is the character of patients with severe sepsis is currently not known. The aim of the project is to describe the processes of care, outcome and characteristics of patients with severe sepsis admitted to the intensive care department of the Czech Republic. METHODS: This is a multicentre and observational project with retrospective enrollment of patients who meet the criteria for severe sepsis before or within 24 hours after admission to selected intensive care units (ICU EPOSS). RESULTS: 394 patients were analyzed. Median age at admission was 66 (56- 76) years, males predominated (58.9%) and the median APACHE II score on admission was 25 (19- 32). Patients were predominantly medical (56.9%) and most were secondary admitted from other ICU (53.6%). Meeting the criteria of severe sepsis was most frequently within the period (± 4 hours) of admission the EPOSS ICU (77.6%). Median total fluid intake during the first 24 hours was 6,680 (4,840- 9,450) ml. Most patients required mechanical ventilation (58.4%). Compliance with the resuscitation bundle of severe sepsis in our group was very good and was associated with lower mortality of patients. Most frequently, the EPOSS ICU length of stay (LOS) was 7 (3- 15) days and median hospital LOS was 13 (8- 28) days. Hospital mortality in our cohort was 35.8%. CONCLUSION: Introducing the project, which in its first stage obtained valuable and internationally comparable data about patients with severe sepsis admitted to the involved ICU in the Czech Republic.

[Feedings of critical care patients by endoscopic three-luminal tube--a retrospective analysis]. / Výziva kriticky nemocných endoskopicky zavádenou trojluminální sondou--retrospektivní analýza.

BACKGROUND: Enteral nutrition (EN) represents a preferred type of nutritional support in critical care patients, in spite of the high incidence of intolerance. One of the methods which can speed up the delivery of adequate amounts of food is to switch from the gastric to post-pyloric feeding. A three-luminal tube (TLT) enables post-pyloric enteral feeding with accompanying gastric decompression. The aim of our study was to evaluate effectiveness and safety of the endoscopically introduced TLT along with the estimation of the adequate dose of enteral nutrition. METHODS AND RESULTS: Retrospective analysis of 111 critical care patients with 140 introduced TLT during 2003 to 2006 in two intensive care units (UIC) in the Teaching hospital in Plzen included patients of average age 54 years (+/- 15), APACHE II score 26 (+/- 10) and UIC mortality was 24%. Eight introductions were technically not successful (6%). Reintroduction of the tube was necessary in 21 patients (19%). The average time of tube introduction was 6 minutes (+/- 3). In direct relation to endoscopy no serious complication was observed. In our cohort, 34 ventilator-associated pneumonias developed (31%). Average time interval since the admission to the hospital till TLT introduction was 7 days (+/- 6). Evaluation of a subgroup of 77 patients from one UIC has shown that the adequate amount of EN was achieved in 82% of patients in 4 days (+/- 3) after the TLT introduction. In average, TLT was introduced for 11 days (+/- 7). CONCLUSIONS: Endoscopic TLT introduction represents a safe and reliable method which can ensure adequate amount of enteral nutrition in majority of critical care patients with gastrointestinal dysfunction. In our conditions, TLT is probably not sufficiently used.

[The importance of measuring intraabdominal pressure in cases of severe acute pancreatitis]. / Die Bedeutung der Bauchinnendruck-Messung bei schweren akuten Pankreatitiden.

AIM: Evaluating the importance of intraabdominal pressure measurement in cases of severe acute pancreatitis and its use in determining indication for surgery. METHODS: A retrospective evaluation of the treatment of patients with severe acute pancreatitis hospitalised at the Department of Surgery or the Department of Anaesthesiology and Resuscitation of the Charles University hospital in Pilsen during the last two years (from January 1 (st), 2002 to December 31 (st), 2003) was performed. RESULTS: During this period, 63 patients with severe acute pancreatitis were hospitalised at both departments, among which 18 patients underwent an operation (28.6 %), eight of them died (12.7 %). In four of the 18 patients who underwent an operation the surgery was indicated due to progression of abdominal compartment syndrome (ACS) and all of these patients survived. CONCLUSIONS: At present, basic treatment of severe acute pancreatitis is considered to be conservative. The only generally accepted indication for surgery is an established infection of the necrotic tissue. In our presentation, we draw attention to those cases where the general condition of the patient deteriorates combined with a progression of ACS and where a decompressive laparotomy can improve the prognosis of the disease.

[Treatment of meningococcal sepsis]. / Lécba meningokokové sepse.

BACKGROUND: Incidence of meningococcal diseases and sepsis caused by a new invasive strain of Neisseria meningitidis group C: 2a: P 1,2 has been observed in the Czech republic within the last 3 years. In 1994 the highest incidence of this disease was in the West region. Ten of the most critically ill patients were treated at the Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care. The aim of this work was to present principles of the treatment of this disease. METHODS AND RESULTS: In 1994 we treated 10 patients, 8 male and 2 female with average age of 11 years (range from 5 months to 20 years). Causing strain identification was done in 9 patients, in one patient causing strain was not identified. All patients had typical clinical symptoms of the disease. All of them were treated according to the same protocol of the invasive complex treatment including artificial ventilation, circulation support, Ceftriaxon combined with potassium salt of benzylpenicillin, i.v. immunoglobulins, fresh frozen plasma, heparin, fibrinogen and antitrombin III. Average length of the stay in the Intensive Care Unit was 5 days (range from 1.5 hour to 10 days). Survival in our group was 70%. CONCLUSIONS: Early started complex therapy is a decisive factor of its success. A uniform protocol of treatment and its wide publication even to the first contact level can increase a chance for survival.

[Unusual injuries of the abdominal aorta]. / Neobvyklé poranení brisní aorty.

A 23-year-old patient was admitted after a car accident with multiple fractures of the extremities, contusion of the brain and a sonographically confirmed haematoma in the retroperitoneum. After 24 hours laparotomy was indicated on account of suddenly developed hypotension. On operation a haemoperitoneum was found and an extensive haematoma in the retroperitoneum, the cause of which was injury of the abdominal aorta due to rupture of the lower mesenteric and lumbar artery. The authors demonstrate the not quite typical picture of an injury of a major artery and recommended early angiography.